Your dog isn’t trying to guilt you. They’re scared.
You hear it through the door. The whining. The crying. Maybe the neighbors have mentioned it. You feel terrible leaving, and you feel helpless coming home. Here’s the thing: your dog isn’t doing this to manipulate you. They’re genuinely afraid. And that fear is something you can fix — gently, consistently, and with the right plan.
“The guilt was crushing. I’d sit in my car listening to my dog cry through the Ring camera. Bubbas gave me something to actually DO about it instead of just feeling terrible. Three weeks in and the crying has dropped to almost nothing.”
Why your dog cries when you leave
Dogs cry when left alone for one core reason: they haven’t learned that your departure is temporary and safe. Their stress response fires, and vocalization is how they express it.
This is especially common in rescue dogs, dogs adopted during lockdowns, puppies who were never gradually introduced to alone time, and breeds with strong attachment drives like Velcro breeds (Vizslas, German Shepherds, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels).
The crying usually starts within minutes of your departure and can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Some dogs cry at the door. Others pace and whine. Some howl.
What NOT to do
Your instincts might lead you astray here. Some common “solutions” actually make the problem worse.
- Don’t punish the crying. Your dog is afraid. Punishment increases fear.
- Don’t sneak out. Your dog learns they can’t trust when you’ll disappear, which increases hypervigilance.
- Don’t make a big deal of leaving or returning. Emotional departures and excited returns teach your dog that transitions are high-stakes events.
- Don’t get a second dog to “fix” the problem. Separation anxiety is about your dog’s attachment to you, not loneliness in general. A second dog can actually complicate training.
What actually works
The fix for departure crying is desensitization: gradually teaching your dog that your departures are boring, predictable, and always end with you coming back.
- Start with micro-departures. Leave for 5 seconds. Come back. No fanfare. Repeat.
- Build duration slowly. 5 seconds becomes 30 seconds becomes 2 minutes. Stay below your dog’s panic threshold.
- Neutralize departure cues. Practice picking up keys and putting them down. Putting on shoes and sitting on the couch. Break the pattern.
- Teach a settle cue. Give your dog a job — go to your bed, chew this Kong — that signals calm, not crisis.
- Track everything. What feels like no progress day-to-day often shows clear improvement over weeks. Tracking keeps you going.
How Bubbas helps stop the crying
Bubbas turns this process into a structured daily plan. Instead of guessing what to do, you open the app, follow today’s session, log your dog’s response, and move forward. The AI coach is there when you’re unsure, and the progress tracker shows you the improvement your emotions might miss.
- Personalized plan based on your dog’s specific anxiety triggers
- 5–15 minute daily sessions that fit around your schedule
- Progress tracking that shows improvement over days and weeks
- AI coach for real-time guidance when you’re unsure
- Household support so everyone responds to crying the same way
Frequently asked questions
Is crying when I leave normal?+
Some brief whining is normal, especially in puppies. But if your dog cries for more than a few minutes or shows other signs of distress (pacing, destruction, accidents), it’s likely separation anxiety and worth addressing with training.
Should I ignore the crying?+
Not exactly. The goal isn’t to ignore it — it’s to prevent it by keeping your absences short enough that your dog stays calm. Over time, you extend the duration. If your dog is crying, the absence was too long. Step back and build up more gradually.
Will medication help?+
For severe cases, anti-anxiety medication prescribed by a vet can help take the edge off so that training can be more effective. It’s not a substitute for training, but it can be a helpful complement. Bubbas’ AI coach can help you assess whether your dog’s case might benefit from a vet conversation.
Help your dog feel safe when you leave
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